Easel for cards



(No Model.)- 0. A. WRIGHT. EASEL FOR CARDS.

No. 582,333. Patented May 11, 1897.

W itriesses.

Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT G-FFIQE.

CHARLES A. WRIGHT, OF RIVERTON, NEIV JERSEY.

EASEL FOR CARDS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 582,333, dated May 11, 1897.

Application filed February 20, 1897. Serial No. 624,379. (No model.)

T ctZZ whom it may concern: Be it known that I, CHARLES A. WRIGHT, of Riverton, county of Burlington, State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Easels for Cards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to card-easels;

' and it consists of certain improvements fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a suitable and inexpensive construction of easel for card photographs.

In the preferred form of my invention I construct the easel of cardboard so stamped and cut that it may be bent or folded,and by means of certain shapes given to the cardboard the several portions may be locked relatively to each other automatically upon bending the stamped card into the proper shape. In this manner the easel may be made in a flattened condition for shipment and sale, and when it is desired to be used the simple bending of the two ends somewhat toward each other automatically locks said ends so as to form a U shaped structure, upon which the photograph-card may be placed.

In carrying out my invention I form the main body of the easel of a long strip having two vertical or transverse weakened lines to permit easy bending at the proper places, the ends being further formed of such shape as to present hooks or claws for catching upon the lower edge of the photographic card to support it. with two arms adapted to bend out from the body portion when it is bent and so formed that they interlock with the body portion to hold the two ends thereof, when bent, in rigid or fixed relative position to each other and the intermediate or back portion. I preferably form these arms hinged to the back or intermediate portion with their ends free and adapted to interlock with the outer edges of the end portions, as will more fully appear from an examination of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of the card after being stamped and before being bent. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same in bent condition for use. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the The body portion is further providedeasel complete. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a card stamped for a modification of my easel, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of this modified form of ease].

' A strip of cardboard is stamped of the shape shown by suitable dies. It is of such shape as to length and breadth that it can usually be formed from waste trimmings in the manufacture of photographic mounting cards. This body portion comprises the back or middle part A, connected upon each side with the end portions or sides B B by hinge-joints O 0, made, preferably, by cutting the card part way through or otherwise weakening it at this point. This will permit the card to be readily bent into U shape with a tendency to spring back into the original position. The end portions or sides B B are formed with a shoulder J J and also with feet 6, formed with recesses D and d to constitute hooks or claws, said latter being at a greater distance from the bend C than are the shoulders J. The edges of each of the end or side portions B B between the shoulders J and claws D are notched inward',as at E, forming a jaw. The body of the card is further so stamped or cut as to form two arms F F, jointed to the back or middle portionA at or near the center, preferably by a weakened line produced by a cut G part way through, as in the case of the cuts 0 0. If desired, the weakened portions or cuts G may be omitted. It will be observed that these arms extend partly across the back A and side portions 13 andare not weakened intermediate of their ends, since the cuts 0 O terminate upon each side of the arms F. The ends of the arms, or those portions farthest from the joint thereof with the body portions, are formed with enlargements or lookingshoiilders f, preferably constituting a cross bar or head of greater width than the notch or jaw E of the side piece B. The end of the arm is also of such width as to be slightly less than the width of the said jaw E, so that the arm may be received in the jaw and the locking-shouldersflock upon the sides of the jaw, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The tendency of all of the parts is to lie fiat, but when the card is bent by bringing the two side portions B B toward each other the arms F F are pushed out of their slots and the ends moved past the jaws E until the shoulders or IOO heads f pass the edges of the card, whereupon the narrow portions of the arms spring into the jaws under the elasticity of the card, and upon letting go of the side portions B B they spring back and cause the edges of their jaws E E to look upon the shoulders or heads f f,

of the arms, as shown in Fig. 0. The easel is now in rigid condition and will remain in said locked condition indefinitely. It is very strong, since the arms act as braces from the middle of the back or middle portion to the free ends of the end or side portions constituting one side of a triangle. The card H is now placed in the hooks or claws D D and allowed to rest against the shoulders J J, securing thereby the requisite obliquity for appearance and stability. \Vhen the photographic card is curled so as to throw the center ofgravity forward, the stability may be improved by setting the lower edge of the card in the outer notches cl (1, constituting the outer or more forward hooks or claws. I do not require both sets of hooks or claws, but prefer to employ them, since it costs no more in the manufacture and secures possible advantages. The lower portions or feet of the side or end parts may be gilded upon the edges, or both sides and edges, and, if desired, embossed to improve the effect.

Now, while I have thus described my preferred form of construction as having the arms hinged to the back or middle portion A and looking with the side or end portions 13 B, it is self-evident that this may be reversed without impairing or departing from the essential features of my improvements. To make this clear, I will refer to such a modification of my invention, which is illustrated in Figs. i and 5 of my drawings. In these figures, A is the middle and B B the side or end portions, having the shoulders J and feet I) provided with notches or claws D. The middle and side portions are joined on lines (3 O, as before. F F are the arms, which are in this case hinged to the side portions B B at G and are of such length that they are formed partly from parts B B and A, so that they extend over the hinge-line G O of the side and back portions. The cuts or weakened portions G may be omitted, if desired. I prefer to unite the other ends of the two arms, as at G since it increases the strength of the easel. The arms are so shaped that the aperture formed in the back portion has shoulders K K for guiding the arms, and the upper edges of the arms are formed with notches L L, which when pushed forward in bending the card receive the edge M of the back and lock the arms and back together, said arms in this case, as in the other, forming the side of a triangle. The shoulders K K, acting with the arms, insure the two sides B B being bent to the same angle. I11 this construction the two arms F F may be severed at G if so desired. It will be noticed that I form the arms slightly wedge-shaped, so that being of this structure they will press upon the sides of the slot of the back and spring it apart until the notches L L come into line, when the elasticity will force the edge of the slot of the back into the notches, as shown at Fig. 5.

My easels may be made of metal, celluloid, or other suitable substance in place of cardboard, if so desired. I do not confine myself to any particular shape of the several portions making up the easel, as they can be varied to suit the taste of the manufacturer. Neither do I confine myself to any special locking means between the ends of the arms and the back or sides of the body.

My object is to make the entire structure stamped from a single card; but I wish it to be understood that the arms might becut out separately and secured to the body portion, as will be readily understood by any one skilled in the art of manufacturing cardboard articles. In some cases the locking-arms may be omitted, if desired. It is therefore to be understood that while I prefer the construction shown I do not confine myself to the details thereof.

Having 110w described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. As a new article of manufacture, an easel or support formed of a sheet of flexible material bent into U shape and having each of the side portions braced to the back portion by an arm jointed to one of said portions on a vertical hinge and detachably interlocked with the other of said portions so as to constitute one side of a triangle, the other two sides of which are formed by the back and side portions.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an easel formed of flexible material bent into U shape and in which side and back portions are held in relative positions by interlocking portions, and in which the side portions on their free or forward edges are notched so as to form hooks or claws for holding the photographcard.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an easel formed of flexible material bent into U shape and in which side and back portions are held in relative positions by interlocking portions, and in which the side portions on their free or forward edges are each provided with a shoulder and notched at two places at the lower part at different distances in front of the shoulder so as to form hooks or claws for holding the photograph-card at different angles.

4;. A card-holder consisting of a bent piece of flexible material having its ends extended in the same direction and each formed with feet at the bottom having two notches to constitute two hooks or claws one in advance of the other, and a shoulder at a higher elevation and to the rear of both hooks or claws whereby the card can be supported at different obliquities.

5. An easel formed of cardboard having a IIO back and two side portions, and locking-arms between the back and side portions connected or formed upon the material constituting the back and side portions and jo'inted so that upon pressing the side portions toward each other to form a U shape with the back and then releasing them the said arms will under the elasticity of the cardboard automatically interlock to hold the back and side portions firmly in the U-shape condition.

6. An easel formed of cardboard having a back and two side portions, and locking-arms between the back and side portions connected or formed upon the material constituting the back and side portions and jointed so that upon pressing the side portions toward each other to form a U shape with the back and then releasing them the said arms will under the elasticity of the cardboard automatically interlock to hold the back and side portions firmly in the U-shape condition and in which the forward edges of the side portions are provided with notches to support or hold the card to be exhibited.

7. As a new article of manufacture, an easel or holder formed of cardboard and having a back portion and two side portions hinged to the back portion on vertical or upright lines, and further having two arms also hinged upon upright or vertical lines and adapted to connect the forward parts of the side portions with the back portion.

8. As a new article of manufacture, an easel I or holder formed of cardboard and having a back portion and two side portions hinged to the back portion on vertical or upright lines, and further having two arms also hinged upon upright or vertical lines to the back portion and adapted to interlock with and connect the forward parts of the side portions with the back portion.

9. As a new article of manufacture, an easel or holder formed of cardboard and having a back portion and two side portions hinged to the back portion on vertical or upright lines, and further having two arms also hinged upon upright or vertical lines to the back portion and adapted to interlock with and connect the forward parts of the side portions with the back portion, and in which the forward edges of the side portions are provided with means to hold the card to be exhibited.

10. A blank for an easel consisting of a middle portionAand side portions 13 B united to the middle portion by weakened joints 0 O and formed with shoulders J notched feet b and jaws E intermediate of the feet and shoulder, two arms F stamped through the blank and joined to the middle portion at one end and having the other ends formed. with transverse projections f adapted to interlock with the jaws E in the side portions B.

11. As a new article of manufacture,an easel formed of a piece of sheet material having two parallel vertical weakened portions to form lines on which to bend the sheet and constitute a back and two side portions adapted to be bent into U shape, and in which the front edges of the side portions are formed with notched feet to receive the bottom of a card to be supported in an oblique position.

12. As a new article of manufacture,an easel formed of a piece of cardboard having a back and two side portions bent into U shape and adapted to support a card in an oblique position, provided with two independent arms stamped partly from the back and partly from the side portions and independently interlocked with the side portions whereby the side portions are independently and rigidly locked to the back in their angular positions for use.

' In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES A. WRIGHT. Witnesses:

. R, M. HUNTER, WM. L. EVANS. 

